Compare towns
Jackson vs Waldo vs Sorrento
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the most renters (21.4% rent).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Sorrento has the most expensive homes ($299k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Jackson | Waldo | Sorrento |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567 |
926Highest |
345Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Highest 16% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
33.8±23.7Lowest 25% below ME |
| Jackson and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±7.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Sorrento are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±10Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sorrento and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±4.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sorrento and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
$83,438±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
| Sorrento and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$298,800±$38kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,696±$433Highest 49% above ME |
| Sorrento and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,929 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
4.8%±91.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
34 min 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.4%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.